Case Digest (G.R. No. 189998)
Facts:
Makati Shangri‑La Hotel and Resort, Inc. v. Ellen Johanne Harper, Jonathan Christopher Harper, and Rigoberto Gillera, G.R. No. 189998, August 29, 2012, Supreme Court First Division, Bersamin, J., writing for the Court.Petitioner Makati Shangri‑La Hotel and Resort, Inc. owned and operated the five‑star Shangri‑La Hotel in Makati where Norwegian national Christian Fredrik Harper checked in and occupied Room 1428 during a business trip in early November 1999. Harper was due to check out on November 6, 1999 but was found murdered in his room that morning; his passport, credit cards, laptop and cash were missing. The murder was discovered after a credit‑card verification call to Harper’s residence in Oslo prompted the hotel to check his room; CCTV footage showed Harper entering his room at 12:14 a.m., a woman following at 12:17 a.m., another Caucasian male entering at 2:48 a.m., the woman leaving at about 5:33 a.m., and the male leaving at about 5:46 a.m. Initial hotel security notes and police investigation records documented missing items and linked one of Harper’s cards to an attempted purchase at a Glorietta jewelry shop.
On August 30, 2002 respondents Ellen Johanne Harper (the widow), their son Jonathan Christopher Harper, and Rigoberto Gillera (their Philippine representative) sued the hotel in the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Quezon City, for damages alleging gross negligence in providing security that allowed the intruders access to the private guest area and Room 1428. After trial, the RTC on October 25, 2005 found the hotel liable and awarded actual and compensatory damages, transportation expenses for the remains, attorneys’ fees and costs. Petitioner appealed to the Court of Appeals (CA), which on October 21, 2009 affirmed with modification and increased the damages awarded (including temperate damages) and retained attorneys’ fees and costs.
Petitioner sought Suprem...(Pro-only)
Issues:
- Were respondents able to prove by competent evidence that they are the widow and son (heirs) of Christian Fredrik Harper?
- Did petitioner prove it was not negligent, or conversely did respondents prove petitioner’s negligence was the proximate cause of Harper’s death?
- Was the proximate cause of Harper’s ...(Pro-only)
Ruling:
- (Pro-only)
Ratio:
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Doctrine:
- (Pro-only)